Students express concerns after USC raises undergraduate tuition

Students are worried after recent news that the university approved a tuition increase of 5% for the 2023-24 school year, making the annual tuition $66,640.

USC announced the tuition increase on its undergraduate admission website on Tuesday, but the university has yet to notify its student body in an official announcement. This price raise follows the 5% increase from the current academic year.

The university cited inflation for the increase of tuition.

“Like other universities across the country, inflation is impacting our costs,” the university said in a statement to Annenberg Media. “Tuition is the largest source of the university’s academic operating budget, which pays for teaching, student services, facilities and administrative support.”

Taking into account additional costs including housing, dining, books and supplies, and transportation, the total cost for students would be roughly $90,900, according to the USC admissions website. For the current school year, USC ranked 7th in most expensive schools according to U.S. News. With the recent increase, USC is expected to move up the ranks in the most expensive list.

“I’m kind of shocked,” Emily Lynch, a sophomore majoring in law, history and culture, said. “We already pay so much to go here. What else are they possibly going to do with that money?”

Along with tuition, the university is also expected to increase their financial aid pool by 7%, according to their statement to Annenberg Media. Two thirds of the student population at USC receive financial assistance from need-based grants, merit scholarships and federal work study and loans, according to the university, but students are still worried about how the increase could set limitations for them.

“Many students might get accepted and have to deal with the financial aspect of education and decide not to come,” Diego Hsu, a senior studying economics and math, said.

Sofia Stojanovski, a freshman studying music industry, agrees with Hsu, noting that “a lot” of her friends from home were accepted to USC but chose not to go, because of the high tuition and not being offered enough financial aid.

Some students expressed frustration that tuition increases are the norm.

“This isn’t new and it isn’t surprising,” Will Chambers, a senior majoring in politics, philosophy and law, said. “It should change, but I’ve experienced it all four years and I don’t expect it to change now.”

Students fear that the cost of tuition will impact the incoming class of students, especially considering Los Angeles is one of the most expensive cities to live in the nation.

“The cost of living here is already astronomical,” Madeleine Reinoso, a sophomore studying health and human sciences said. As a transfer student, she doesn’t have on-campus housing and is paying $18,000 in rent for the year.

Additional costs of being a student include groceries, off-campus activities and meal plans, which are required for students who have USC housing. The university estimates that living expenses can range from $13,000 to $20,000 depending on class standing.

“Just surviving and living in L.A. is very difficult and crazy,” Shay Thiede, a sophomore studying law, history and culture, said.

While other colleges and universities have raised their tuition by as much as 4%, none of these tuition increases have surpassed USC’s new sticker price.

“I feel like it’s a deterrent for many people from coming to USC and college in general,” Royce Ilaga, a sophomore studying human biology, said. “[For] a lot of students who have to take out loans or pay out of pocket, there will be a lot of consequences.”